The Sofa
by Amateurhuman
Summary: Max and Chloe visits a scandinavian furniture company, has a house-warming party, and Chloe learns that its always better to RTFM. Part 2 in the "A Better Tomorrow" series.
1. Preparations

They sat down on the bed, sweaty and with ruddy cheeks after carrying the heavy cardboard boxes up the three flights of stairs to their tiny apartment.

"Holy shit, now I need a beer." Chloe rubbed her upper lip.

"Let's share one" said Max, walking the short way from the sleeping alcove in the room to the tiny kitchen space and fetching a bottle from the refrigerator. "But, Chloe, we need to save a couple for tonight. I think someone has been looting our cache, it's beginning to look a bit thin on the beer front."

"Ah, don't worry Maximus, they will bring their own stuff. And, as the adult around here, I CAN go buy some more if needed." Chloe had turned 21 this spring, something she loved to rub in Max's face at every opportunity. "Gimme that please."

They drank from the cold bottle in turns until it was empty. It felt much better.

"Alright, where do we start?"

—

That morning they had taken Chloe's old truck to IKEA in Portland and brought home their first real piece of furniture together, a three seat FRIHETEN sofa in a ocean green-blue cover. They had looked at numerous models, colors and styles of couches and had both feared they eventually would go back home with nothing at all, when they had stumbled upon FRIHETEN. The couch looked both nice and comfy and it was big enough to have someone sleep in it if needed, which had been one of their criteria.

"If you misbehave," Max had said, squinting an eye at Chloe who answered with indignation, "misbehave? Me?! I would never!" She had wrestled down Max on the showroom sofa and tickled her until she squealed, only stopping when several other customers begun to give them disapproving looks.

"What? Every couch needs to survive a tickling test!" Chloe had told them like it was the most natural thing. "This one will do." And so it was decided; the FRIHETEN it was.

And of course they had also bought some towels, a small carpet, six wine glasses, some serving bowls of various colors and sizes, a big wooden cutting board, three potted plants, a small nifty bedside table, and two foldable outdoor chairs from the sales corner, for the balcony. None of it anything they had actually planned to buy. Now they probably had to live on oatmeal for a long time, but they were both in agreement that it was totally worth it. But the FRIHETEN still had to be assembled. Right now it was strewn all over the apartment like a dismembered sea monster in a sea of ripped cardboard and plastic, staring back at them where they sat together on the bed.

"Let's begin with letting in some air." Max went and opened the balcony door to let in a fresh salty summer breeze from the sea. The sun, now on its way down over the western horizon, shone bright through the newly cleaned windows. The new potted plants had found their place on the windowsill beside Lisa. Max hoped she was happy with the company.

It was a small one-room apartment on the third floor, with a sleeping alcove, a tiny kitchen space, and a small balcony overlooking the town and the ocean behind it. The balcony and it's view was what had convinced them to rent it in the first place. The rent wasn't dirt cheap, but still not much more than Max had paid for her room at Blackwell. They had moved in just when Max's summer leave from Blackwell had started, and they had lived here for just a couple of weeks. Most of that time they had spent painting walls and fixing things up. Now everything looked all right, kind of neat even. And though it sure wasn't perfect it was their first home together, and they loved every inch of it.

Tonight it was time for the late at last housewarming party, and the plan was to get the sofa knocked together in the short time that remained. They had invited a bunch so they needed all the sitting space they could muster. It would be really crowded here even with the bed and the sofa and four chairs. Peeking at the kitchen clock, it was still some hours to go before the first guests would arrive. They counted to at least fifteen persons, including the usual Blackwell posse and some punky friends of Chloe that Max didn't now that well.

Some notable absentees were Frank who had declined respectfully, not feeling he would fit in, but promised to come by another time, and Rachel, who had moved to LA last year. Right now she was acting in some play called 'Fool for Love', in a small theatre called Laterna. The play was minimalistic relation drama with an all female cast, where Rachel had a minor role as Martha, a girlfriend to one of the main characters. It had received pretty good reviews and Max and Chloe would love to go down and see her. They planned to, later in the summer, but now they had other things on their mind.

"I just need to rest my tired bones a bit." Chloe slumped back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. She reached for the stereo-remote on the bedside table and Leviathan by Mastodon started booming from the speakers. Chloe sighed and begun tapping out the rhythm with her hands against the bedsheet. "Yesss. Come here Megamax, let's lie down a minute first."

"Sure." Max lay down and snuggled up beside Chloe and sighed happily. "Mmm, s'nice… I could lie here all day." She put her nose in Chloe's neck. She smelled of sun, summer and road dust.

"Yeah, maybe we should call the party off." Chloe turned to Max and hooked an arm and a leg around her, kissing her tenderly on the nose. "You know, Max, I have a feeling this summer's gonna be the most awesomest summer in my whole life."

Max smiled back. Last summer had been an awesome summer, especially their road trip down the Oregon coast. But maybe this summer, living together at last, could be even more awesome.

They lay close together, listening to the music while feeling the gentle caress from the soft breeze coming through the open balcony door.

At last Max said, "ok girlfriend, time to get up and get on with it." She tried to rise but Chloe promptly pulled her back down on the bed.

"Let's cuddle a bit more first, can't weeeee?" Chloe ogled at her with big blue bedroom-eyes.

"Whoa, Chloe," Max laughed, "I'd love to, you know that, but do we really have the time?"

"Just a shortie?"

"A shortie? Aw, you know me honey, if you get me in the mood I can't stop until we are really finished, and there are no shortcuts."

"Hehe, I love that about you, you little vixen. Always doing things thoroughly. You don't look like it Max, but you are a damn machine when you get going."

"Har har, very funny." Max cheeks started to burn.

"I was going to say you are a fucking machine, but…"

"Oh gawd…" Max tried hiding her face in the pillow, but Chloe whisked it away and grabbed her cheeks between her hands and gave Max a mauling kiss.

They really shouldn't. But Chloe was completely irresistible. Max thought back on the year and a half since they had became a couple, but it was more like a year since they first had sex. Max hadn't really known what to expect. Well, she had known the technicalities of course, but in reality everything was so different from what she had imagined. Or rather, she herself had been so much different than she had imagined. In the beginning Max had been her usual shy and unsure self, but Chloe, being the somewhat more experienced, had encouraged her, taking it slow, and in time she had unlocked a Max that was neither timid nor shy, and in secret Max loved that side of herself. With Chloe she could let everything else just go, and everything just got better with time, making her more and more confident and daring. For Max, sex with Chloe was one of life's big pleasant surprises.

They ended the kiss to take a breath and Max looked back at the beautiful blue-haired girl, her old childhood friend, her lover, her partner in time. She still couldn't believe how lucky she was to have her.

 _My Chloe._

Max couldn't help getting sucked into those eyes and mouth like a star into a black hole. Flaming, piece by piece and with no means of resisting and no hope of escape.

 _Oh, what the hell._

—

A while later they were even more red faced and sweaty, lying intertwined on the bed's rumpled sheets, their clothes spread all over the place.

"Not bad Max, not bad at all."

Max smiled. "Now we are in a bit of a hurry, you take the sofa and I take the rest?"

"Why do I have the feeling I'm getting handed the crappy end of the stick here… but, deal."

"You are the grease monkey, Chloe, you are an expert screwing things, I can attest to that."

Chloe groaned, "really Max? Now who's the funny one."

But it was true. Chloe worked as a mechanic now, and has been since a couple of months. She got a job at the AB Mechanics and Truck Stop down the main road after a recommendation from David. Though she had pretty fast gone from smaller tasks to taking responsibility for much of the electronic and diagnostic part of the work. Cars and especially trucks were much more computerised than she had thought, but Chloe was a fast learner and computers came naturally to her, and so for a couple of weeks the apartment had been filed with instruction manuals for various sensors and diagnostics instruments. She liked the work well enough and enjoyed the constant friendly bickering with her colleagues, almost all of who where guys double her age or more, and of course it gave her a much needed income. She wasn't sure how much it would help getting this couch together though.

They dressed quickly and Max started cleaning up and carrying down the parts from the packaging to the trash-bins down the stairs while Chloe begun to organise the pieces and tools for putting together the couch.

"So, where's that damn instruction booklet?"

Max looked around. "Oh, I have no idea, maybe it got thrown out with the trash? Sorry."

"Hmm, well, how complicated can it be?" Chloe sat on the floor looking at the various tools, nuts, bolts and screws that were lined up neatly in front go her.

"You are the genius, you'll figure it out." Max said. "I'll go buy some more snacks and stuff, b'back soon."

"Sure, T minus 60 minutes to party time. Don't forget you have to shower and change too. Splish splash."

"Wait, You are reminding ME to shower? That's a first." Max smiled and kissed Chloe on the nape of her neck, "but sure, I'll be back in time."

—

When Max returned, her arms full of bags, packages and other things, Chloe was almost done with the sofa, and it looked great.

"Piece of cake," she answered to Max's inquiring look. "I hope… no idea where these things would go though." She revealed a fistful of screws.

Anyhow, they didn't have time to ponder that right now, instead they showered quickly, dressed and started putting things in order for their soon to arrive guests. At last they were done, looking around at their party-pimped apartment.

"Nice," Chloe looked satisfied, her hands on her hips. "Et venit ad eos."

"Uh, what? Latin?"

"Yeah, Flavius, old military dude." Chloe shrugged. "'Now let them come' or something like that. Ever heard of the battle of Maurica?"

"Eh, no…"

"Read about it, it's pretty gross. Old time warfare is like, weird. Can you imagine to…"

Max was saved by the bell, literally.

"They're here!" She exclaimed. They both sprang for the door. "Who do you think our first guests are? Kate? Warren and Brooke?"


	2. Party

It wasn't. Instead half of the band PissHead lumbered in, carrying clinking bags and guitars on their backs.

Chloe laughed out loud. "Hey, Skip! Floyd! Welcome!"

Skip Mathews smiled toothily. "Hey dude, and hey little dude, how's the party going?"

"Surprise, you're first!" Chloe splayed her arms in a ta-da gesture.

"What? You said the party should start at five, that's, like, two hours ago!"

"Well, I did't want you boneheads to miss it, so I said five to you." She grinned and stabbed a finger at him. "Come in, have a beer. The others should be here any minute." Chloe looked rather smug as she showed them in to the room. Max handed them two bottles from the fridge as they passed the kitchen.

"Wow, fancy krib." Skip looked around. "And la-di-da, fancy couch!" Skip and Floyd threw themselves down without having to be asked. "Veeery commodious."

"You're on easy street now, man." Floyd continued, taking a sip and smiling up at Chloe through his beard, then pointing with his beer at the girls. "You two look as think as thieves to me. I'm happy for ya, really am."

Skip concurred.

Chloe hugged Max close with one arm. "Thanks guys."

Floyd rapped his guitar case. "You okay with us playing some later?"

"Sure, that'd be great. Or what do you think, Maximus?"

Max wasn't that fond of PissHead's repertoire, but they were friends and live music at a party was never wrong. And, to be fair, some of their later stuff were actually pretty good. More melody and less screaming.

"Yes, that will be awesome."

They talked about the band and the crappy state of Arcadia's music scene since both the Mill had burned down and Black Attic Club had closed some years ago, but also about Chloe's job as a mechanic, and a bit of shit talking about Blackwell where Skip had worked previously. The clock had moved to a quarter past seven when the doorbell rang again.

A large group of people poured through the door, raising the sound level in the tiny apartment significantly. It was Dana, Trevor, Juliet, Justin, Nathan, Kate, Warren, Brooke, Alyssa, Drew and his younger brother Mike, and more, all the Blackwell people that hadn't left for summer yet. They knew for a fact that some of them had postponed their return home just to be able to attend this get-together. Chloe saw Max looking searchingly among the newcomers.

"Don't worry Max, Victoria will be here. She said she would come, right?"

"She said maybe, she is driving all the way from Seattle after all."

"Oh, that's the most definite answer you'll ever get from her. Maybe is a yes, no is a maybe, right? She's just fashionably late."

Max didn't look fully convinced, but they greeted everybody and invited them to sit where they could find a place. Both the bed and the sofa filled up quickly, the rest had to sit on cushions on the floor. Max sat down between Kate and Nathan on the bed, the couch was already occupied by eight-nine persons filling every available spot, arm-and backrests and all. Justin came over to where Chloe stood looking at the overcrowded sofa.

"Hey Price, looking good yo." They power-fived lazily. "Heard you took the gee ee dee the other day. Went alright?"He waved his rollie with raised eyebrows. Chloe glanced at Max, took a deep drag, then gave it back.

"…sure, last month. It was easy peasy."

"Yeah? Someone said your scores were fucking gnarly."

"Huh, someone said that? Well, yes I did okay actually. Now we just have to decide what's next. Max has one year left here so I'll stay put, but then we're probably off to where I can study some shit. No way I'm going back to Blackhell though."

"Ah, cool, leaving the Bay then. Where to, and what?"

"I'm thinking chemistry and biology, maybe marine biology at Berkeley, or SCMI in Los Angeles. Or whatever. I don't think I would want to live too far from the coast though. I feel I have some sort of connection with the ocean, you know."

"Like, the color blue?"

Chloe sniggered and hit Justin on the shoulder.

"Ow!"

—

"I'm glad you could come Nathan," Max smiled. Inside she felt strange, as she always did near Nathan. He was her friend, fair and square, but she still couldn't shake the small voice of trepidation that whispered to her whenever Nathan was around. She had been there in the bathroom when he had shot and killed Chloe, and it had been by her choice. She had managed to change that reality, but contrary to the other alternative timelines she had created and destroyed, whose memories quickly faded and were replaced, this memory had etched itself into her brain. Somehow Nathan sensed her hesitancy and always behaved very careful around her, though he had no idea why Max felt the way she did. And she was not going to tell him. Or Chloe. This was one of the few dark secrets she would never tell anyone, ever.

Nathan smiled back. "I would never pass an opportunity to inspect my property." He sounded serious but his eyes were not. "You two have really worked your asses off to make this dump into a nice looking home. Respect, I could never have done something like this. And my father will be pleased. He'd love to have more tenants like you."

"I take that as a compliment. And thank you for the tip anyway. We are very glad."

"I'm happy to hear. Actually, I brought you a small gift." Nathan reached behind him and fetched a largeish paper roll, "here."

Max looked where Chloe and Justin stood talking. Or whatever they did; Chloe just hit Justin on the arm.

"Hey, Chlo, Stop beating up our guests and come here, Nathan got us a housewarming present!"

Chloe and Justin strolled over. "Did he indeed. What is it?"

Nathan waved a hand dismissively. "It's nothing really. Just a small thing you might like."

Max unrolled it.

"Wowser, a poster of Arcadia Bay, look Chloe, it's the same you have in your hallway back home!"

"Really? Cool. They still sell those at the tourist office?"

Nathan seemed to squirm a bit. "Well, actually, the company took over the tourist office a couple of months ago. I found this in a back room and I thought of you. I remembered you had one like this outside your room. It's in mint condition."

"Appreciate it, man, really do." Chloe actually seemed a bit touched.

"Yes, thank you", said Max. "We'll frame it and hang it beside Rachel."

"Rachel?" said Nathan and Kate in unison.

Max pointed at an arty theatre poster in red, white and black, picturing four faces wearing stetson hats under a motel sign, that hung over the sofa. The third face, down to the left, was Rachel's.

"Wow, that is the play Rachel is in right now, Right? " Kate clasped her hands. "Have you seen it yet? I can't believe it was over a year since she left for California." She looked up at Chloe, sensing her mood change. "Oh, you really miss her don't you? You were so close!"

"We still are, and yes I miss her. My little girl, all grown up." Chloe smiled a crooked smile. "We talked so long about going to Cali together It's kind of weird not being there with her now. But Rachel doesn't need me, that's for sure. She is doing all right, living the fancy arty farty life she always dreamed of. I wouldn't have fit in. And besides, it's here I want to be." She gave Max a sidelong smile.

Max reached out and took Chloe's hand in hers. "I miss her too, you know, though I don't know her like you do," she said in a low voice. "Maybe we'll move down there while you study? Then it will be much easier to see her."

"Yes, I've heard!" said Nathan "You did great on that test. Congrats, I'm impressed!"

"What the hell? Does everybody know about that? Who's the bloody snitch? Max..?" Chloe glowered at her.

Max's face turned a shade of pink which made Nathan laugh out and Kate giggle almost hysterically. Luckily she was saved by the bell a second time this evening. Max excused herself.

Victoria stood behind the door when Max opened. She looked a bit flustered as she smoothed out her chic jacket with her left hand. Her right hand held a big bouquet of summer flowers.

"Vee!" Max nearly threw herself in Victoria's arms, but Victoria held up the oversized bouquet almost as a shield between them; "here," then frowning at the flowers, "did I overdo it?"

Max took the mass of flowers from Victorias outstretched hand. "Heh, a little maybe, but they are lovely! Thank you so much, Vic! Come in, I'm so happy you could come."

"Sorry I am late, it's a pretty long drive."

"Don't worry, people have been dropping in all evening. Let me show you around. I'll just put these in water first. You'll be sleeping on our new couch by the way, it's a sofa bed."

They walked around, chatting with friends, old and new, until Max and Victoria ended up around the table in the little kitchen. They heard how Warren took over control over the stereo from Chloe, changing the punk and rock for mostly 70's funk and progressive rock. Victoria poured another glass of wine for herself and filled upp Max glass too, ignoring her meek protests. Victoria's cheeks was uncharacteristically red and her eyes had a glimmer to them looking at Max.

"Great party, Max, I am enjoying it." She looked down, fidgeting with her wineglass. "You've got a nice place here."

Max was silent, knowing that if Victoria wanted to say something that wasn't snooty, she often needed time.

"I was thinking… do you want to have some pictures at the Chase Space? I know I have some favourites that I would like to see there."

Max was a bit taken aback.

"Wow, really? That would be great! But do you think your parents…?"

"I'll handle my parents. Maybe you could come back to Seattle for a week or so, bring your photos and we'll go through them together? You could stay at your parents' maybe, or my place if you'd like." Victoria was still eyeing her wineglass closely. "You can bring Chloe too of course."

"I… umm… well.." Even more taken aback now, Max didn't know what to say. This conversation had definitely veered off in an unexpected direction. She was apparently too slow with her response too, as Victoria rose up from the table, mildly swaying, and blurted out; "ah, forget I said anything, my mistake."

Max quickly rose to her feet. "Whoa, Victoria, wait!" She tried to grab her arm but Victoria twisted it away. But then she stopped, and when she, after a couple of heartbeats, turned around, she didn't look angry anymore, only a bit tense.

"Max… I… I'm sorry. I am not good at this, you know." She shook her head. "This is not how I pictured this conversation."

"What's going on, Vee? I am not following you now." Max reached out and took hold of Victorias arms with her hands. This time she let her do it.

"I'm a disaster, that's what it's all about. I'm fucking trying my best but I just can't seem to succeed at even this basic human thing"

"Succeed doing what? You are moving to fast for me, you have to give me more to work with here, Vic."

The tall girl's shoulders stooped. "You know, to be a friend. Like, to have a normal friendship, with you. I don't know how to do that."

"But we are friends! " Max shook Victoria gently. "And I think you are a very good friend, one of my best!"

"Really? One of your best? Then I pity you," she scoffed, but then smiled weakly. "What I really want to say is, I miss you Max. And I don't want to wait until fall to see you again, okay? It would be nice if we could hang out this summer. Either here, or in Seattle, or both. Would… would you like that?"

"Of course, silly!" Max grinned. "I have promised to show Chloe Seattle this summer. Let's do it together! Your perspective of the Queen City is probably quite different from mine. And I would love going through our pictures with you. Not just mine, yours too."

"You… mean show me yours and I'll show you mine?"

Max sighed and put her hands over her face. "I know you don't want to hear this Vic, but sometimes you and Chloe are scary alike."

Victoria laughed one of her rare warm laughs.

"Coming from you Max, I guess that's as huge compliment."

—

In the living room Skip and Floyd had taken out their acoustic guitars and had started to play. The acoustic versions of their songs were slower and the vocals less harsh and shouty. The guests seemed to enjoy it well enough, Max thought. Even Victoria.

Eventually they stopped playing and Floyd gave Chloe a hesitant look. "Are we doing a rain check on this?"

"No way dude, you carry on," Chloe answered with a wink and a furtive smile.

Victoria leaned in and whispered in Max's ear "Does that guy always speak in idioms?"

"Floyd? Yeah, totally, he's the real poet, through blood, bones and beard and all."

Skip and Floyd started playing again, and begun to hum in a crooning chorus. This song was quite different from their earlier repertoire, but it made Max feel all cold inside. Someone thrusted a guitar in her arms. Her guitar.

"Hey, Max Amour, catch!"

"Chloe! What are you… You can't do this!"

"Can too," Chloe said with a devious smile. "Let's hear some of your famous 'strum and drang'! Come on rock star, make me proud!"

Max was no longer ice cold but red hot from the inside out when Chloe ushered her towards the sofa, where Floyd and Skip sat picking out the tunes and hummed in their heart's content. They both seemed to think the whole debacle was quite amusing. Max did not. With a glowering stare at Chloe she made a discreet throat clearing before she joined in. After a wavering start she found her voice, and it, frail but clear and tonally accurate, contrasted pretty nicely against the men's more coarse vocals. But this song, ugh! An old eighties love balad by the Bangles. Not what she would have chosen to perform. It was way too cheesy. And, way too personal. But she endured, her voice held, and she must admit that Skip and Floyd did an excellent job on their part. They obviously must have practiced for this a lot. The crowd seemed to like it too. Many held lit lighters and waved them slowly over their heads (Warren, Brooke and some others had apps on their phones that emulated lighters).

When the last chord died away a cheer broke out among the listeners, but Max only had eyes for Chloe, standing there tall and slim with a huge grin on her face. Max tried to stare back accusingly but Chloe just smiled and blew her a kiss. She couldn't help but grin back.

"That wasn't too bad Max!" Chloe said as she dragged Max up to her feet. "I was thinking you should get that song out of your system. You practicing it constantly for the last three weeks was driving me insane!"

"Hrmpf, just don't do that again, Chloe," Max said with a laugh. "If I am to play, I want to know beforehand."

"Would you have done it if I had asked first?"

Max knew full well the answer to that.

—

He hours went by but the party did not slow down. Some latecomers joined, like Justin's new girlfriend Bella and her friends, and some of Chloe's punk crew. Both Max and Chloe were in agreement that it was going very well. The only fly in the ointment was that the apartment was too small. Even with the balcony door wide open to the cool summer night the air was pretty hot inside with all the people there. Chloe walked up to where Max stood filling up one of the serving bowls with snacks.

"Hey cutie, let's go out for some fresh air? Out to the balcony I mean."

"Let's." Max smiled back, "Hav you seen the beautiful moon outside? Just like when we met down at the beach, do you remember?"

"I remember. It was a lot colder back then."

Max gripped Chloe's hand as they stepped outside. Chloe leaned carefree against the rickety balcony parapet, making Max feel a tad nervous. She snuck up beside Chloe and put an arm around the taller girls waist, to make sure she wouldn't fall or do something stupid. Just in case.

Chloe let out a satisfied sigh. "Yep, it is a beautiful night." She clinked her beer bottle against Max's. "For Max, the badass housewarming hostess and budding rock star." Max looked up at Chloe, feeling the warmth of her hip against her own. "And for Chloe, the premium chauffeur and couch constructor". They smiled at each other and took a sip. They were just leaning in for a kiss when a loud rumble was heard from inside over the music. "What?… the hell?" Chloe rushed in and Max followed. Inside they found everybody lying laughing in a heap on the floor, where the sofa had once stood. Not much of it was still standing. Chloe started cursing loudly, and she wasn't mincing it, which made everybody laugh even harder. Except Victoria who grumbled angrily; "that was my bed you jerks!"

"We'll manage somehow." Max said to Victoria. "Worst case you're sharing bed with me and Chloe tonight, there's plenty of room."

"Eww…"

"Anyone hurt?" Max asked the room, but no-one seemed to be. Except the FRIHETEN, which was now shattered and broken. Chloe was clearly exasperated with herself, muttering angrily while picking up loose pieces and looking at the damaged parts, but Max sneaked up and hugged her snugly from behind.

"Damn you party-crashing sofa," Chloe snarled under her breath.

"Chloe my love, don't be sad." Max whispered to her. "It doesn't matter, we'll fix it." She dragged a reluctant Chloe up to her feet and hugged her looked into each others eyes while Max brushed a hand against Chloe's cheek as if to wipe away her agitation. She could feel Chloe relax a bit in her arms.

Dana shouted: "Kiss!"

"Yeah, kiss!" Shouted Trev. Justin and Bella joined in: "Kiss!"

Both Chloe and Max stiffened, then laughed in embarrassment. They weren't comfortable showing that much public affection. Not in front of all their friends.

Soon the whole room chanted "Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss!" Hands begun clapping and feet stomping. The two girls hesitated but their friends did not falter.

Max arched an eyebrow and smiled crookedly at Chloe, who for once actually looked a bit red-cheeked with awkwardness. "Well? I think we better kiss or we'll drive the neighbours mad with this ruckus."

"To hell with you, you mushy hippie," Chloe said with a pinkish face, biting her lip.

When they finally kissed, the group of friends burst out in a loud cheer, and all raised their glasses, bottles or cans to a toast. "To Max and Chloe, the cutest couple in the Bay! And for an awesome house-warming party!"

Then everybody helped cleaning up the spilt drinks and arranged the cushions and other parts of the sofa to sitting places on the floor. The party continued as if nothing had happened.

 **Epilogue**

It took them another trip to Portland to fetch some new screws and bolts to replace those that had snapped or bent, but when properly assembled the FRIHETEN sofa was robust enough for both of them to sit and even sleep together in for many years to come. You just have to remember retightening the screws now and then.


End file.
